Forget Dry January With These 8 Wine And Food Pairings

How nice would it be to show up to a party with a bottle of wine that pairs perfectly with the meal? Or, if you’re playing host, to have wines proudly placed on your celebratory table that match the evening’s menu? No need to rely on chance this year, my friends. These pairings will make you look like a pro.

PINK + WHITE

Dish Mashed potatoes
Wine Silverado Vineyards
Tasting notes You want a light, zesty wine like sauvignon blanc for a heavy food like mashed potatoes. This crisp, refreshing SB has notes of citrus and lemon, which cut through the buttery potatoes and add a gentle, harmonious hint of fruit to the hearty staple. Miller Ranch sauvignon blanc, $25, Spec’s

Dish Crab
Wine Rodney Strong Vineyards
Tasting notes You’ll dip your crab in butter or some delicious sauce, so choose a wine that has enough sweetness and acid to marry with the crab and sauce. Upshot white blend is light, bright and has flavors of melon, stone fruit and lots of minerality, so it’s a natural fit. Serve chilled or even cold. Upshot white blend, $20, Spec’s; rodneystrong.com

Dish Roasted vegetables
Wine West + Wilder
Tasting notes Even if Mom isn’t looking, you should eat your veggies. They’re good for you, and can serve as a tasty side or main. If you’re looking for the ideal partner for that vibrant kale or gorgeous plate of carrots, bring a sparkling rosé. West + Wilder’s playful pink has a hint of sweetness that will complement the healthy stuff, and the bubbles will enhance earthy flavors. Sparkling rosé, $20, Favorite Brands

Dish Halibut and sugar cookies
Wine Migration
Tasting notes A rich and balanced chardonnay will pair nicely with halibut and other tender white fish. Migration’s is vibrant and silky, and pairs well with buttery or citrusy sauces (for red sauces, go with a medium red like pinot noir or a red blend). This cheery chard will also balance the sweetness of a sugar cookie without stealing the show. Try dipping the cookie in the wine if it’s got enough icing to hold it together. Sonoma Coast chardonnay, $40, Total Wine & More

RED

Dish Cheese, nuts and charcuterie
Wine Flambeaux Wine
Tasting notes If snacks and appetizers are on the table, then the fun is just getting started. Choose a wine that’s crowd-pleasing and full of life, like zinfandel. Flambeaux’s is a good pick because it has plenty of fruit, gentle complexity and balance, and is light enough to be paired with a variety of cheeses, nuts and meats. Dry Creek Valley zinfandel, $40

Dish Bacon-wrapped filet mignon
Wine Louis M. Martini
Tasting notes It’s no secret filet and cabernet sauvignon go together, but which cab? Martini’s is a clear choice because it’s full-bodied but not overpowering, so it lets the steak shine. It also has enough tannin and acid to balance out the salt and fat of the bacon. Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon, $40, H-E-B Central Market

Dish Lamb
Wine Aperture
Tasting notes Lamb is a gamy meat that begs for a big bold red like Aperture’s red blend. Lighter than a cabernet sauvignon but still full of dark fruit and cocoa, this silky wine will go well with the heavy texture and fatty flavors of the meat and will bring some nice spice to the party too. Right Bank red blend, $55

Dish Salmon
Wine EnRoute
Tasting notes Salmon calls for a bright, acidic red to cut the fat and fishy flavor. This juicy, ripe pinot has flavors of cherry and raspberry that act as a glaze for your bite. The earthiness of the wine mingles with the salt and sea of the fish. Les Pommiers pinot noir, $60, Houston Wine Merchant